Shattered Reality

I wish I could be around when historians with the perspective of decades attempt to explain the events of the last few months. It's going to fascinating to learn about the stories behind the stories and the people who are part of them.

Right now, all we really have is a top line perspective and little understanding of what caused seemingly ordinary Americans to board planes, buses and trains to attend a rally in support of a cause that was lost. I'd like to think that most did not head to DC with the intention of storming the Capitol and chanting to hang the Vice President.

But, yet they did.

Lost in the commentary and conversation to date is much discussion about the impact all of this must be having on what we'll call every day Trump supporters. We all know them. Our friends, neighbors, and co-workers, who voted to re-elect the President, because of the economy or how their 401k has grown over the last few years. 

Or those who are pro-life and were convinced by Church leaders that Trump was their guy. 

Or gun owners, who have been tricked for years into believing that any Democrat almost anywhere can somehow magically overturn the Second Amendment.

I'd like to think that at least some are appalled.

Imagine being told over the last four years that the people to be afraid of are immigrants, those of color or LBGQT, "antifa," or "socialists"?  

But those weren't the people on TV attacking the Capitol a few weeks ago. No. It was the good guys. Men and women who look just like them. People who respect the flag and police officers. 

But there on the screen was the American flag being taken down in order to fly a Trump banner in its place. An American flag being used to beat a police officer, while another was murdered when hit with a fire extinguisher.

The apparent hero of the day?

A black Capitol Police Officer, who tricked the terrorists away from an open door that led to where Vice President Pence was being sheltered. 

I'd like to think that at least some of those watching at home are just a little upset with themselves for being part of a group that has people, who they would never add to their List of Contacts.

Possibly they're going to make an effort to get their information from Fox and MSNBC then make an informed decision.

Maybe they are more than appalled that there are now more troops in our nation's Capitol than are stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan as a result of what happened on January 6.

That's not the greater America they were promised. 

Let's be a little less snarky

If we could get together in one room and tick off our New Year's resolutions, there's a reasonably good chance that they would be remarkably similar.

- Establishing some consistent sense of normalcy, depending on how we now define it. For some this might be a return to the rat race. But for many others it could be a work and lifestyle where pumping the breaks when needed is acceptable. Maybe even encouraged.

- Spending more time with family and friends is sure to be on everyone's list. No more postponing vacations, because we have too much going on.

- Realizing that someday is not a day of the week and finally going back to school; making that career change;, or relocating to the place we've been dreaming about.

Here's a suggestion for another one: let's all try to be a little less snarky.

These last 12 months have tried our collective patience and not always brought out the best. Our cynical side has emerged in ways that have probably surprised many of us.

We've become quick to criticize. Cast doubt. Throw shade. Question motives. 

Not that it hasn't been deserved in many cases. But it seems that now our initial reaction is to look for the negative. Try to find the hidden motive. Minor transgressions or unintended misstatements become major controversies.

If we've learned anything this year, it's that nothing is guaranteed. Things can change in an instant. And not always for the better. Just recall what you were looking forward to a year ago and compare it to how 2020 played out.

Fortunately, it appears that in spite of our collective selves, we're turning the corner. It's safe to say that our national sense of individual independence made a bad situation even worse. 

So for whatever it's worth, my hope is that in the new year we can all be a little more patient. A little more trusting. A little more willing to go the extra mile for someone else.

...and hopefully 2021 will be better.

What I Learned from the Election

Professor Hank here offering for your consideration my top five lessons learned from our just concluded election.

Lesson 1 

We need a national civics lesson. In many ways, this election was no different than any other in recent memory.

So, we should be concerned that so many of our friends, neighbors, and family members -- and apparently even our current President and at least some of his supporters -- don't understand the process.  

The media does not decide the final outcome of an election. It does, however, make projections on probable winners based on turnout, historical and day-of voting patterns, and the chances of one candidate overtaking the other given the number of ballots still to be counted. 

They're also very cautious about making projections. For example, NBC's standard for making a call this year was 99.5% certainty. 

Absentee/mail in ballots can sometimes be inputted for several days after the election itself to account for delivery delays. This includes ballots from our overseas military. In the vast majority of past elections, their numbers were too small to impact final results. This year they did, 

Final vote totals are often not officially "certified" until several weeks after an election. Nonetheless, most candidates -- including President Trump in 2016 -- claim victory on Election Night based on projections, trends, and their own internal campaign information.  

Four years ago this week, President-elect Trump was meeting with President Obama to discuss the transition. I don't recall anyone saying "Hey, wait a minute, the vote totals aren't certified."

Historically, most allegations of fraud don't stand up under close examination. They also rarely, if ever, involve the number of votes required to change an outcome. Lawsuits that challenge procedural issues don't nullify actual votes. 

The concept that every vote needs to be counted, no matter how long it takes, is essential to our democracy.  Given the size of the turnout and the number of options we had to vote this year, there was nothing sinister or underhanded about taking extra time to be sure every ballot was counted.  

That's how it should be.

Lesson 2

Social media and the internet have become a mosh pit of mis- and dis-information. Some of what's posted and shared is merely uninformed or naive. But during this election season, we've also seen claims and allegations that were malicious and knowingly false.

The problem isn't limited to government and politics. It impacts every business and industry; groups of people, and individuals.  

So called "big tech" struggles between protecting our right to free speech and the spread of information that is purposely designed to mislead and misinform.  

At least part of the answer rests with us as consumers. We need to check the sources of items we see that don't seem right. We also need to challenge those who post damaging and false information. 

It's amazing how quickly they disappear or resort to name calling, because they can't defend their positions. I can't tell you how many times I've been called a "moron" these last few weeks!

Lesson 3

After some early hand wringing about the polls being inaccurate, they ended up fairly close to the results in the race for President.

But there are issues.

First, the public too often focuses on the headlines and not the fine print, such as margins of error. Many reputable pollsters predicted that vote totals in certain states would be close. And they were.

Second, polls are not designed to discourage voters on one side or another. The old cliche that the only poll that counts is the one on Election Day is as true as ever. If someone stays home because of a poll, shame on him or her.

Third, it would seem that some people, who intended to vote for certain candidates, were telling researchers something different. This isn't a problem with sample size, question design, or participant selection. It is an issue with respondents not honestly answering the questions. 

There's a term emerging for these folks. They're being called "shy voters."  

The bottom line is that polling/market research is only as good as the honesty of the people who participate. 

Lesson 4

President Trump deserves credit for being the disrupter we all needed. His presence and policies have forced us to consider what we believe about science and medicine; the environment; economics; those who are different than us, and what our responsibilities are to each other as citizens.

We apparently have very different views on those topics. As historian Jon Meacham noted on the Today Show: "Democracies don't work without empathy."

Lesson 5

It took a pandemic to do it, but we may have found the answer to voter apathy. Making voting more convenient -- increased emphasis on absentee/mail in voting; opportunities to drop off ballots, as well as voting early -- resulted in record turnout.  

Going forward, the process will no doubt become smoother and more uniform. Hopefully more voters across the spectrum will participate. 

We may even get the final results faster. 

Here's what I know....

I've worked in the communications business for more than 45 years.

I began my career running the campus radio station at Boston University, where I gave Howard Stern his start by firing him from his weekly show. He was then hired at a small, daytime AM station outside of Boston, where it didn't take long for him to be noticed by programmers at much larger operations.

After graduating from BU, I worked in local radio news covering Board of Selectmen, City Council, and School Committee meetings. I also had a daily talk show and free lanced for a newspaper. Years later when community cable outlets became popular, I hosted programs on those channels.

Since I wasn't willing to make the sacrifices necessary to move to larger markets, I crossed the divide and started a career in corporate media. I worked with dozens of reporters locally and, as I climbed the ladder, across the US and Canada.

For many years, I was employed by utilities, where I was the on camera company face and interacted directly with print, radio, and TV reporters anytime a storm was brewing; a wind turbine fell over, or a controversy about a rate increase became news.

I've also been teaching communications on the college level for 25 years. So, it's been my responsibility to pay attention to what is happening in my profession.

As a result, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on legitimate news operations, their reporters, and how they operate.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I continue to be amazed by the fantasies, half truths, and just plain fallacies that I see people accept as gospel -- especially from so called internet or obviously biased "news" sites.

Two examples.

President Trump had a stroke. I'm admittedly not a fan of the man, but he trips up a set of stairs and moves awkwardly to catch his balance and that is somehow evidence he had a stroke. Or his hand shakes at a wreath laying ceremony. Or, he's drinking "too much" water, while giving a speech.  

Here's what I know from working within the business over the years. If the President actually had a stroke, (mini or otherwise) a reporter from a legitimate news operation would flush out the information.  Someone at the hospital would leak the medical report. Sources in the White House or Capitol Hill would provide details. And every media outlet would cover the story.

Or, Joe Biden has dementia. The former Vice President has a stuttering problem. Can he also appear to get lost sometimes when speaking? Yes. (Especially when the video is edited.)

But, here's what I know.  If, in fact, Biden has dementia, someone would have come forward by now either from his campaign, a friend, or maybe even his family. A reporter -- maybe one who has covered him for years -- would ferret it out. And every media outlet would cover it.

These are not "liberal" or "conservative" media stories. If Fox News received solid information that the President had a stroke, they would report it. If the New York Times had evidence that Joe Biden was suffering from dementia, they would run with it. 

Stories from websites that don't list Boards of Directors, editorial staffs, or sources need to be questioned. If they are listed, do some research. I've checked out sites from postings that friends have shared and discovered that they were based outside of the country and/or had editors, who previously worked for pro-Russian publications.

The web addresses may be different, but many of these so called news sites (on both sides of the fence) also look remarkably similar and have the same content.    

Any story from a parody website needs to be dismissed. I finally had to block someone, who insists that what is written on an obviously satirical site is true and that the information has been "covered up by the liberal media." 

It's our responsibility to be sure that our sources of information are trustworthy. Rachel Maddow or Tucker Carlson aren't the second coming of Walter Cronkite. No one has assumed the mantle of "Most Trusted Man (or Woman) in America."  

Those days are over. 

That's what I know.

The Old Guy

I never paid much attention to my age as the years have rumbled on.

Milestone birthdays were never a time to stop and reflect.  The younger ones -- 25, 35 and even 40 -- were fun. By the time I reached 50 and 55, my age was "just a number."

When I turned 60, we had celebrated Mariana's first birthday a few weeks earlier. So it made sense to be that age and a grandfather.

Sixty-five was a badge of honor.  I survived to a truly milestone moment - an opportunity that not everyone I've known has been lucky enough to achieve.

That was two years ago and lately it feels like I've moved into a different neighborhood.

Case in point. We were at a nearby town pond not too long ago and the lifeguard dropped his two-way radio. Being a good citizen, I picked it up and handed it back.

As I walked away, I heard him contact his counterpart a few yards away to report that an "old guy" had returned it.

An old guy?

Was he talkin' about me?

As I settled into my beach chair and relayed the story, Mari -- always quick to keep me grounded -- said: "Well, you are 67. That's kinda old."

(I should point out that some of us have yet to reach the big 6-0.)

I've noticed that lately people are calling me sir or Mr. Sennott more often than they used to. Or the dreaded "honey," as you pay for your groceries.

I cringe when people refer to senior citizens, especially when they're amazed at the ability to use technology.

Age is a funny thing. It changes us, but we often don't notice the differences in ourselves or those who we know or see on a regular basis.  Hair color may be different by design or default. We may gingerly walk down the stairs in the morning waiting for our knees to loosen up. The conga line of medications that keeps us healthy gets a little longer.

But to us, we're still more or less the same.

Though, I wonder what others see.

Like Mariana. Does she see the person I find in the mirror every day?

Or, does she just see an old guy?

Sure, I live on Cape Cod. But...

We've lived on Cape Cod for years. We moved here when our daughter was three. She's now 29. It's been a lifetime.

In the early years, we regularly went to the beach; spent time in the backyard pool that came with the house; enjoyed the sunsets, and did the best we could to live the life that people think Cape Codders have.

We entertained. Did we ever. The first couple of years it seemed that a weekend didn't go by when we didn't have visitors from somewhere off Cape.

We even told both our old friends and new Cape ones that if the weather got really hot to feel free to use our pool, even if we weren't home. I know our offer was sincere, but we really didn't think the invitation would ever be accepted.

Until one very hot July 3rd.

I worked off Cape and as I drove down our street I wondered, who was having the big party and why we weren't invited. But, when I couldn't park in my own driveway, I realized where the party was.

The pool was jammed. Our back deck was crammed. I was immediately sent on a beer and burger run.

In time, the novelty of our living on Cape Cod wore off for both our friends and us. The steady stream of visitors stopped. We settled into a more typical, daily routine. I kept working in Providence and points beyond. My wife got her real estate license.

Eventually we started taking vacations as far off Cape as we could. Too much traffic; too many tourists; too strong a temptation for Mari to stop by the office on days off.

Some years it was August before we went to the beach. If at all.  I began telling anyone who asked about life on Cape that our subdivision and weekly routine was really no different from anyone's anywhere else.

Until these last few months.

My classes moved on line. Mari's real estate office closed and she began working remotely. Our second grader granddaughter started having daily class zoom calls and on line assignments.

Fortunately, the weather wasn't great when the stay-safe-at-home order went into effect, so there was no real temptation to go out. Not that there was anywhere to go.

Snake Pond

But, as the weather improved, we began sitting on our deck again. We filled our bird feeders. We took long rides to get take out and sat in the car by a beach to eat it.

When restrictions eased, we found ourselves at a Town pond less than ten minutes from our house. It was a spot that we could have easily visited countless times over the years, but hardly ever did.

We re-discovered why we moved to Cape Cod all those years ago.

To suggest that going to the beach and watching backyard birds are COVID-19 silver linings would be more than a little shallow. But given the capriciousness of the virus, the message to slow down and appreciate where you are, what you have, and who you share it with is a lesson that too many of us needed.

When we finally settle in to the last of the new normals, let's not forget.

Is America's Pastime Past Its Time?

I've been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember. I first became interested in the game when my grandfather would listen on the radio to the "Red Slobs," as he called them. The legendary Curt Gowdy did the play-by-play of the perennial cellar dwellers.

There was Chuck Schilling and Felix Mantilla. Dalton Jones and Frank Malzone.  Bill Monbouquette and "The Monster," Dick Raditz, a larger than life relief pitcher who deserved to be on a better team. And then there was "Doctor Strangeglove," Dick Stuart.  He hit a ton of homers and made about as many errors.

I collected baseball cards like every kid my age and to this day remember being hurt when for some reason Grampa Bernie -- who was always very attentive -- didn't have time to look at my collection.

My love for the game was cemented in 1967 when the Impossible Dream Red Sox won the American League pennant. Carl Yastrezemski -- "the man we call Yaz" --  won the Triple Crown that year. George "Tater" Scott, Rico Petrocelli, and Joe Foy were among the regulars. A young Tony Conigliaro hit 20 home runs. Former enemies like the Yankees' Elston Howard, the Tigers' Tony Horton, and the A's Ken Harrelson joined the team for the late season run to the top. 

I was truly hooked and have been a loyal fan ever since.

About 10 years ago, I even had a chance to vicariously live the baseball life when my daughter worked for two summers for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

So, like many, I'm more than a little disappointed that Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Players Association have yet to find common ground to begin the 2020 baseball season. The opportunity to command the sports stage and be a rallying point as we emerge from the virus crisis is slowly being frittered away.

We need to look back no further than the days after 9/11 to see how baseball can provide a much needed boost to the national psyche. Who can forget President Bush confidently striding to the mound at Yankee Stadium and throwing a ceremonial first pitch strike while wearing a flack jacket?

As fans, we are emotionally attached to the game and our teams. But, with players and management apparently entrenched in their positions and focused on money, we are reminded that baseball is just a business, and one that is not especially well run.

The good news for me, anyway, is that I have found a reasonable substitute for MLB.

The KBO, South Korea's national baseball league, airs six times a week on ESPN. The weekday games start at 5:30am our time. The level of competition is good with former major leaguers and homegrown stars -- who have or could have played in MLB -- scattered throughout rosters. There's no problem with the length of the games, either. They're usually over by 8:00am, before I've finished my second cup of coffee.

With no fans in the stands, teams have become creative. I tuned in last week to find Sponge Bob, Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, and Mickey Mouse among the spectators in the first few rows at an NC Dinos vs. Hanwa Eagles game.

KBO has become popular enough here in the States that they've added an English language version of their website to respond to demand for merchandise.

Even if MLB and the players reach an agreement tomorrow, baseball will struggle for fan attention. The current proposal sees the game returning sometime in July for a 76 game regular season. But, July is also the time the NBA and NHL will be back in business with playoff competition.

The NFL never really hit the pause button and has been dominating the sports headlines with free agency and the draft. Training camps should be opening in several weeks.

Fans will have options. Watch meaningful basketball and hockey games involving players and leagues that for the most part worked cooperatively to resume their seasons or teams and players who had to be dragged back into business kicking and complaining?

And we all know what happens when football season starts.

Baseball is often referred to as "America's favorite pastime."

If owners and players don't settle their differences soon, we could be talking about the game as past its time.